Glass Beaker Research Articles

Excess Energy Released Due To Proton-Proton Collisions in Condensed Matter Could Be Due To Laboratory-Made Micro Black Holes

While sodium metal dissolution in concentrated (2M) Epsom solution is very peaceful under stirring conditions in about 5 to 10s, its dissolution in a dilute (0.85) Epsom solution has turned very violent. Nearly 30s after the addition of Na, the solution exploded accompanied by the vaporization of the glass beaker. Only sodium aerosol and tiny molten needles of glass were seen around indicating a very high temperature (>1000 0C) has indeed been reached. The timing of the explosion has indicated that hydrogen released during sodium dissolution has got trapped in the salt solution and subsequent energy build-up has caused the excess energy release. A viable trapping mechanism involving the exchange of 2 hydrogen ions (H22+) with an Mg2+ ion in cavitation-induced nanocrystals of Epsom has been proposed in this regard. The two hydrogen ions are stabilized at the cation vacancy (cavity) by dative bonds with the two hydrogen ions in the water molecule trapped at a neighboring sulphate vacancy. Spring-like action between the two protons trapped at the cation vacancy due to oscillations caused by two opposing forces – one by cavitation and the other by coulombic repulsion eventually appear to have led to the collision of hydrogen ions at relativistic speeds in condensed matter. To start with, the two protons in the H22+ species are confined in a small space (72 pm cavity) at a single crystal cation lattice site in Na2SO4 nanocrystal which increases their head-on collision probability at high energies. There is no upper limit to the energies achieved through p-p collisions in this species as the Cavitation-Coulombic Repulsion Oscillations (CCRO) can continue until the endpoint is reached. Regeneration of a nanocrystal over a sufficiently small time scale and regeneration effect prior to cavitation collapse are all important so laws of thermodynamics are not violated. Extra dimensions of gravity at short distances, if present, could also assist in the high energies required for the production of mini black holes in condensed matter. Such black holes lose mass very quickly through the emission of Hawking radiation observed in the form of explosion with mass-energy equivalence of E = mc2. The possibility of tapping such explosive energy for peaceful purposes is discussed. As such it constitutes the third kind of atomic energy humans have entertained, the first two being fission and fusion.

Ultraviolet (UV-C) Light Systems for the Inactivation of Feline Calicivirus and Tulane Virus in Model Fluid Foods.

Conventional UV-C (254nm) inactivation technologies have limitations and potential operator-safety risk. To overcome these disadvantages, novel UV-C light-emitting diodes (LED) are developed and investigated for their performance. This study aimed to determine the inactivation of human norovirus (HuNoV) surrogates, Tulane virus (TV), and feline calicivirus (FCV-F9), by UV-C (254nm) in comparison to UV-C LED (279nm) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and coconut water (CW). Five-hundred microliters of FCV-F9 (~ 5 log plaque forming units (PFU)/mL) or TV (~ 6 log PFU/mL) were added to 4.5mL PBS or CW in continuously stirred glass beakers and exposed to 254nm UV-C for 0 up to 15min (maximum dosage of 33.89mJ/cm2) or 279nm UV-C LED for 0 up to 2.5min (maximum dosage of 7.03mJ/cm2). Recovered viruses were assayed in duplicate from each treatment replicated thrice. Mixed model analysis of variance was used for data analysis. Significantly lower D10 values were obtained in PBS and CW (p ≤ 0.05) for both tested viruses using UV-C LED (279nm) where FCV-F9 showed D10 values of 7.08 ± 1.75mJ/cm2 and 3.75 ± 0.11mJ/cm2, while using UV-C (254nm) showed D10 values of 13.81 ± 0.40mJ/cm2 and 6.43 ± 0.44mJ/cm2 in PBS and CW, respectively. Similarly, lower D10 values were obtained for TV of 3.91 ± 1.03mJ/cm2 and 4.26 ± 1.02mJ/cm2 with 279 nmUV-C LED and were 18.76 ± 3.16mJ/cm2 and 10.21 ± 1.48mJ/cm2 with 254nm UV-C in PBS and CW, respectively. Viral resistance to these treatments was fluid-matrix dependent. These findings indicate that use of 279nm UV-C LED is more effective in inactivating HuNoV surrogates than conventional 254nm UV-C in the tested fluids.

Rhamnolipids Enhance Bioremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 215952, “Enhancing Bioremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Using Rhamnolipids: A Combined Laboratory and Field Study,” by Pan Ni, Lehigh University; Yonglin Ren, SPE, Stepan Oilfield Solutions; and Derick G. Brown, Lehigh University, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ Hydrocarbon spills can occur at various stages of the oil and gas exploration and production process. Treating these spills onsite to avoid more-expensive excavation and incineration processes would be beneficial. The study outlined in the complete paper aims to optimize the use of rhamnolipid biosurfactants for enhancing the bioremediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. The goal of this work was to explore the effects of rhamnolipid application on hydrocarbon degradation rate under both laboratory and field conditions and to examine the effects of this treatment on the indigenous soil microorganism population. Introduction The authors write that, to the best of their knowledge, previous research studies on rhamnolipid-based soil remediation focused on either laboratory or field tests and that comparison between laboratory-scale and field-scale tests is overlooked but necessary for practical applications. Materials and Methods Materials and Chemicals. The soil used for this work (23 kg for the laboratory test, 10 metric tons for the field test) was obtained from a contaminated site in Longford Mills, Canada. The soil properties are presented in Table 1 of the complete paper. The rhamnolipid stock solution featured 9.8 wt% rhamnolipid blends in deionized water. Another commercial remediation agent (enzyme-based) was used in the field test to compare with the performance of rhamnolipid. Ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) and potassium hydrogen phosphate (K2HPO4) also were used along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Experimental Setup. Both laboratory and field tests were ex-situ tests using simulated soil piles. The laboratory test was conducted for 193 days. For the laboratory experiments, an aerobic/anaerobic respirometer system equipped with a low-temperature incubator was used to monitor the in-situ oxygen uptake inside eight reactors (Fig. 1). Each reactor contained 250 g of soil with rhamnolipid doses of 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1 g/kg. The temperature was set to 25°C. Inside each reactor was placed 10 mL of 4-M NaOH in a 20-mL glass beaker to adsorb the produced CO2. A parallel set of eight reactors was prepared and operated under the same conditions. The nutrients of nitrogen and phosphorous (NH4Cl and K2HPO4) were added at specific times based on the oxygen uptake rate monitored by the respirometer. To avoid the possible inhibition of the microbes in the soil as a result of high ionic strength (greater than 160 mM) in the soil pore water, NH4Cl and K2HPO4 were added so that the molar concentration in the soil pore water did not exceed 100 mM. The field test is being conducted in Longford Mills, Ontario, Canada, and is ongoing at the time of writing. For the field test, 10 metric tons of soil were mixed to achieve homogeneity before the preparation of the soil piles. Five different treatment conditions were examined using duplicate soil piles (10 piles total), with each consisting of 1 metric ton of soil. Nutrient addition was similar to that used in the laboratory tests. Temperature and moisture were monitored every few days at five points in each soil pile, and the pH was monitored once every month at five points.

Surprising Effects of Al2O3 Coating on Tribocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dyes by CdS Nanoparticles

With a band gap of 2.4 eV, CdS has been extensively explored for photocatalytic applications under visible light irradiation. In this study, CdS nanoparticles have been investigated for the tribocatalytic degradation of concentrated Rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) solutions. For CdS nanoparticles in a glass beaker, 78.9% of 50 mg/L RhB and 69.8% of 20 mg/L MO solutions were degraded after 8 h and 24 h of magnetic stirring using Teflon magnetic rotary disks, respectively. While for CdS nanoparticles in a beaker with Al2O3 coated on its bottom, 99.8% of the RhB solution was degraded after 8 h of magnetic stirring and 95.6% of the MO solution was degraded after 12 h of magnetic stirring. Moreover, another contrast was observed between the two beaker bottoms—a new peak at 250 nm in UV–visible absorption spectra was only observed for the MO degradation by CdS in the as-received glass beaker, which indicates that MO molecules were only broken into smaller organic molecules in that case. These findings are meaningful for expanding the catalytic applications of CdS and for achieving a better understanding of tribocatalysis as well.

Teknik Pemeriksaan Parasit Myxobolus sp. pada Ikan Hias Air Tawar di Balai Karantina Ikan Pengendalian Mutu dan Keamanan Hasil Perikanan Surabaya I

The increase in ornamental fish farming in Indonesia has increased significantly during the 2017-2019 period. This improvement process is certainly faced with various challenges such as disease, which is caused by ectoparasites, one of which is Myxobolus sp. This parasite can infect the skin and gills of fish, causing significant financial losses. This study aims to determine the prevalence and intensity of Myxobolus sp parasites in freshwater ornamental fish at the Surabaya I Fish Quarantine Center for Quality Control and Safety of Fishery Products (BKIPM), which was conducted on June 19 - August 18, 2023. The tools and materials used include fish samples, distilled water, 70% alcohol, giemsa dye, swallow and tissue, tray, binocular microscope, computer, dissecting set, object glass, cover glass, dropper pipette, ruler, gloves, beaker glass, workbook, method, and stationery. Native and staining methods were used to examine parasites, while prevalence and intensity were calculated using Kabata's (1985) formula. The results showed that comet fish and koi fish were infected with Myxobolus sp in their gills. The intensity of Myxobolus sp infection in koi fish was classified as severe, while in comet fish it was classified as very severe. The prevalence of Myxobolus sp parasites found in koi fish was 2.32% and in comet fish was 4.20%, both categorized as moderate infection.

Influence of Substrate Location and Temperature Variation on the Growth of ZnO Nanorods Synthesized by Hot Water Treatment.

Hot water treatment (HWT) is a versatile technique for synthesizing metal oxide nanostructures (MONSTRs) by immersing metal substrates in hot water, typically in glass beakers. The proximity of substrates to the heat source during HWT can influence the temperature of the substrate and subsequently impact MONSTR growth. In our study, zinc (Zn) substrates underwent HWT at the base of a glass beaker in contact with a hot plate and at four different vertical distances from the base. While the set temperature of deionized (DI) water was 75.0 °C, the substrate locations exhibited variations, notably with the base reaching 95.0 °C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy showed stoichiometric and crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods. ZnO rods on the base, exposed to higher temperatures, displayed greater growth in length and diameter, and higher crystallinity. Nanorods with increasing vertical distances from the base exhibited a logarithmic decrease in length despite identical temperatures, whereas their diameters remained constant. We attribute these findings to crucial HWT growth mechanisms like surface diffusion and "plugging", influenced by temperature and water flow within the beaker. Our results provide insights for optimizing synthesis parameters to effectively control MONSTR growth through HWT.

Surprising Effects of Ti and Al2O3 Coatings on Tribocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dyes by GaN Nanoparticles.

GaN is more stable than most metal oxide semiconductors for the photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants in harsh conditions, while its catalytic efficiency has been difficult to be substantially improved. In this study, the tribocatalytic degradation of organic dyes by GaN nanoparticles has been investigated. Stimulated through magnetic stirring using homemade Teflon magnetic rotary disks in glass beakers, the GaN nanoparticles were found to induce negligible degradation in rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) solutions. Surprisingly, the degradation was greatly enhanced in beakers with Ti and Al2O3 coatings on their bottoms: 99.2% and 99.8% of the 20 mg/L RhB solutions were degraded in 3 h for the Ti and Al2O3 coatings, respectively, and 56% and 60.2% of the 20 mg/L MO solutions were degraded in 24 h for the Ti and Al2O3 coatings, respectively. Moreover, the MO molecules were only broken into smaller organic molecules for the Ti coating, while they were completely degraded for the Al2O3 coating. These findings are important for the catalytic degradation of organic pollutants by GaN in harsh environments and for achieving a better understanding of tribocatalysis as well.

COMPARISON OF RESULTS OF PULUT CORN STARCH MODIFICATION AND SORGUM STARCH BY ACID HYDROLYSIS METHOD

Starch is a carbohydrate which is a glucose polymer, and consists of amylose and amylopectin, for example corn and sorghum starch, but it still has several obstacles when used as raw materials in the food and non-food industries. If starch is cooked it takes a long time (requiring high energy), and the paste that is formed is hard and not clear. Therefore, starch modification was carried out by acid hydrolysis. This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of physical modification on pulut corn starch and sorghum starch using the Acid Hydrolysis method. The research was conducted at the Processing Laboratory, Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Gorontalo State University in May 2024. The tools used were containers, glass beakers, ovens, water baths, blenders, sieves, plastic clips. The ingredients used are pulut corn flour, sorghum flour, distilled water, NaOH, and citric acid. The research design used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Test parameters include the size of starch granules. It is hoped that the research results will provide new insights in the development of starch technology based on corn and sorghum.

Investigating the Potency of Camphor Combined With Kerosene on the Emergence of Anopheles Gambiae

Background Camphor has a long-term application history in the control of insect pests and their mixture with kerosene is not an exception in the control of mosquitoes. Objectives Due to differences in larval biology and positioning in breeding sites, this study was designed to reassess the potency of camphor mixed with kerosene against the emergence of Anopheles mosquitoes in order to ascertain that efficacy of a treatment may not differ greatly with different mosquito species. Methodology Larvae and pupae of Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from Ndokwa West Area of Delta State, Nigeria using standard World Health Organization method and left to acclimatize for 6 h in the Insectary before exposure. Mosquitoes were confirmed as Anopheles gambiae. Camphor (2 g) and its mixture with kerosene in equal ratio were introduced into 100, 200, and 400 mL of water which equated 0.02%, 0.01%, and 0.005%, respectively. Anopheles mosquitoes exposed to only water served as control for the experiment. Twenty larvae and pupae in their third stage of larval development was first sorted into 1000 mL glass beaker and then introduced into various treatment concentrations in 3 replicates. Results Highest mortality was recorded in larvae exposed to 0.02% of camphor mixed with kerosene. Pupae exposed to same concentration compared favorably. Lethal dosage (LD50 and LD95) of camphor exposed to Anopheles larvae and pupae ranged from 0.002% to 0.004% and 0.021% to 0.491%, respectively. More so, values were 0.002% and range from 0.010% to 0.021% in camphor mixed with kerosene, respectively. Conclusion Therefore, the intensification in the use of camphor mixed with kerosene among the population in mosquito breeding sites would reduce the mosquito biting activities and diseases in the locality.

PHARMACEUTICO-ANALYTICAL STUDY OF VISUCHIKAHARA ARKA

Background: Arka is a simple preparation mentioned by Ravana in his book, Arka Prakasha. Visuchikahara arka is a formulation indicated in Visuchika and its complications. Visuchika is type of Ama, mainly characterised by pricking type of pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhoea. The principle of treating ama is Agni-deepana (increasing the digestive fire). All the ingredients of Visuchikahara arka are having Katu rasa, Ushna veerya and Katu Vipaka. They possess deepana, pachana, anulomana properties that help in pacifying Ama-dosha by doing Agni-deepana. Aim: To develop preliminary standards for Visuchikahara arka. Materials and methods: Pippali, Pippali mula, Chavya, Chitraka, Nagara, Ajaji, Haritaki and Maricha were made into busavath churna/ coarse powder. 100ml of the powder was soaked in 200ml of Nimbu swarasa in a glass beaker for 48 hours. Later, distilled using distillation apparatus to obtain Visuchikahara arka. The prepared arka was subjected to organoleptic and physico-chemical parameters. Observations and results: The results of organoleptic characters like colour, odour, taste and physico-chemical parameters like pH, specific gravity, viscosity, refractive index were carried out. Discussion and conclusion: Visuchikahara arka is mainly indicated in Visuchika. It can also be used in all types of Ama, as it mainly possess Katu rasa, Ushna veerya and Katu-Madhura Vipaka that may help in pacifying all the doshas. It may also help in increasing Agni and may help in improving digestion by its deepana and pachana actions.

GLASS BEAKER WITH MYTHOLOGICAL FIGURES FROM THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IN ISAURIA

Built in the region of Isauria - Cilicia Trachea, the ancient city of Philadelphia is located today in the north of the Gökçeseki village in the Ermenek district of the Karaman province. In 2015, a rescue excavation was conducted in this ancient city’s necropolis. During the excavations, sarcophagi that were raised on podiums were discovered. Also, a large number of archaeological finds were unearthed in an area of 10x10 m just west of these sarcophagi. The subject of this study is a glass beaker with mythological figures found in this area. There are very few beakers with mythological figures in the literature. These are a special group of glass bearing high relief decorations, produced through mould-blowing, a technique that was discovered some seventy years after the free-blowing technique of Roman glassmaking. The body of this glass type features four male figures standing between columns joined by garlands of ivy. The identities of the figures are a matter of debate. There seems to be a consensus on the identity of two of them as Poseidon (Weinberg's Figure A) and Dionysus (Weinberg's Figure C), based on the attributes they hold in their hands. Various suggestions exist for the identities of the other two figures. Six fragments belonging to the rim and body of the Philadelphia beaker were discovered. The vessel that has been partially preserved is identical in form and decorative scheme to the glasses that have been published so far. The glass beakers of this type were found in both the eastern and western provinces of the Roman empire. Their origin is a matter of controversy. They were generally dated to the 2nd half of the 1st century AD. For the Philadelphia beaker, it can be suggested that it also dates back to the second half of the 1st century AD, taking into consideration the other finds from the area, in which the highest concentration of the artifacts point to the 1st-3rd centuries AD. There is no evidence of glass production in Philadelphia or its vicinity. Therefore, the Philadelphia find must have been imported to the city. The fact that the fragmentary glass was found in the necropolis of the city suggests that these beakers might have been used during funeral rituals.

115 Solubility and degradation of human fertility-promoting molecules in a rumen environment

Abstract Endometrial epithelial of cows conceiving was associated to gene set enrichment of pathways associated to synthesis, metabolism, and degradation of myo-inositol pathways (Physiol. Genomics 54: 71-85, 2022). Progesterone-modulated transcription also indicated an increase in oxidative phosphorylation pathways in the endometrial epithelial of cows. Thus, modulation of myo-inositol and oxidative phosphorylation pathways can favor conception rates in cattle. Oral supplementation with pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ), an antioxidant, and inositol isomers (myo- and D-chiro-inositol) has been proven to be beneficial for fertility of women undergoing assisted reproductive biotechnologies. However, oral supplementation of these compounds to ruminant species has not been evaluated. It is unknown if PQQ and inositol isomers are soluble in the rumen environment, if they are degraded by the microbial populations which exist in this environment, or the timeframe for the ruminal degradation of these molecules resulting from oral supplementation. The objectives of this study were to 1) evaluate disappearance (solubility) of different of inositol isomers and PQQ; and 2) to quantify the in-vitro ruminal degradability of inositol isomers and PQQ over time. Inositol isomers and PQQ (0.25 g) were placed in Ankom bags and heat sealed. The bags were placed in glass beakers with an artificial saliva solution and rumen fluid, then incubated at 39 C in a warm shaker bath to simulate ruminal digestion for 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h. These were then evaluated for disappearance of each form of inositol from the Ankom bag and repeated for a total of five replicates. For the second trial, only myo-inositol was evaluated. In addition to bag removal at the same time points, duplicate ruminal fluid samples were collected for myo-inositol concentration determination. This trial had seven replicates. For all forms of inositol 0.00% was removed at 0 h, and by 1 h 99.0 % inositol had disappeared (P > 0.05). There were two exceptions, PQQ, at 1 h was less (P < 0.0001; 96.33 %) and at 4 h (98.46 %). For the second trial, myo-inositol disappearance increased (P = 0.0001) from 0.00 % at 1 h to 99.53 % at 4 h and remained constant (P > 0.05) for subsequent sampling times. Ruminal fluid concentration of myo-inositol increased (P < 0.0001) from 0.197 to 5.39 g/L, and remained constant (P > 0.05) until h 24 when it had decreased (P < 0.0001) to 2.766 g/L, and decreased P < 0.0001) further by 48 h to 0.377 g/L. Ruminal concentration of myo-inositol was not different (P > 0.05) between 0 h and 48 h. These data indicates that inositol isomers and PQQ are soluble in the rumen environment, though not immediately, with myo-inositol concentrations peaking between 12 and 24 h and disappearing mostly by h 48.

Experimental investigation on ceramic materials of wood flour and bentonite

In this research, the solid-state reaction method obtained experimental investigation on wood flour and bentonite ceramic materials. The bentonite of 3 g and the wood flour of 7 g were mixed in a glass beaker and then activated at a temperature of 500°C for 2 hours. Next, the powder was ground using ball milling at 500 rpm for 30 minutes. Characterization uses XRD, SEM with mapping, and Fourier transforms infrared. Results show that the XRD confirmed having silica or SiO2 peaks in crystal structure and composition. The obtained morphological properties of the material are almost cubic with uniform size. FTIR results showed a single bond between silica and oxide. Therefore, wood flour and bentonite are proven ceramic materials because they have stable SiO2.

Germanium dioxide as agent to control the biofouling diatom Fragilariopsis oceanica for the cultivation of Ulva fenestrata (Chlorophyta)

Abstract During the cultivation of Ulva fenestrata in a land-based aquaculture system, the colonisation of the water tanks’ surfaces and eventually the macroalgal biomass by the biofouling diatom Fragilariopsis oceanica compromises the production process. Since germanium dioxide (GeO2) is an effective growth inhibitor of diatoms, this study aimed to understand how it affects the presence of F. oceanica and the photosynthesis and growth of U. fenestrata as a primary parameter contribution to the biomass production. A toxicological dose-response experiment showed that the diatom’s growth was inhibited at the low GeO2 concentration of 0.014 mg l−1. In contrast, the photosynthetic performances and growth rates of U. fenestrata remained unaffected under a wide GeO2 concentration range (0.022–2.235 mg l−1) in small- and large-scale experiments in 1-l glass beakers and 100-l Plexiglass water tanks, respectively. In the latter, the diatom density in the tanks was reduced by 40 %. The costs arising from the use of GeO2 can range between €2.35 and €8.35 kg−1 fresh weight of produced U. fenestrata biomass under growth conditions resulting in growth rates of 20 and 11.5 % d−1, respectively. GeO2 is an effective agent to control biofouling diatoms such as F. oceanica during the land-based biomass production of U. fenestrata.

Breaking the glass beaker: celebrating women’s contributions to chemistry in Canada

Breaking the glass beaker: celebrating women’s contributions to chemistry in Canada

Simple and convenient preconcentration procedure for the isotopic analysis of uranium in seawater.

The demand for monitoring anthropogenic U isotopes, 236U and 233U, in seawater will continue to increase due to radioecological issues and the need for tools for environmental dynamics research. In response to this growing demand, herein, a novel and simple method was developed for the collection of U isotopes in seawater, both in the laboratory and field, using a fabric-like amidoxime adsorbent. The results from the adsorption studies showed that the optimum conditions for processing seawater in a glass beaker were as follows: seawater pH 4, amidoxime adsorbent 0.20 mmol per 500 g seawater and an adsorption time of 9 hours. Alternatively, when using a closed polyethylene container in experiments on-board a ship and using the same ratio of adsorbent to seawater as in the beaker experiment in the laboratory, the optimum conditions were as follows: seawater pH 8 and an adsorption time of 24 hours. Under the above-mentioned conditions, more than 95% of the U underwent adsorption in both the beaker and the polyethylene container experiments. In the case of analyte desorption, more than 80% of U in seawater was recovered using 2-3 mol dm-3 HCl or HNO3 as the eluent. Thus, it was concluded that the amidoxime adsorbent can serve as a simple and effective pre-concentration method for the ultra-trace monitoring of U isotopes in seawater.

Particle size effect of Moringa oleifera Lam. seeds on the turbidity removal and antibacterial activity for drinking water treatment

The treatment of drinking water using Moringa oleifera (MO) Lam. seeds is gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to synthetic chemicals. However, there is limited literature on the effect of particle size of the ground MO seeds on their coagulation characteristics, which is revealed in this study. To investigate the impact of the particle size, the sun-dried MO seeds were ground and sieved into five distinct sizes ranging from (i) <0.25 mm, (ii) 0.25–0.4 mm, (iii) 0.4–0.8 mm, (iv) 0.8–1.25 mm, and (v) 1.25–2.0 mm. The seed protein for the experiment was then prepared by stirring a 2% (w/v) solution of the five different seed powders in tap water. Six different protein doses between 100 and 350 mg/l were added to separate glass beakers featuring a synthetic solution of 80 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) turbidity. The experimental results revealed that the MO seed particle sizes of 0.8–0.4 mm and 0.4–0.25 mm demonstrated superior coagulation characteristics compared to the other size categories tested. Specifically, a dose of 200–300 mg/l was found to be effective in reducing the turbidity to 5 NTU and eliminating ∼100% of E. coli after 3 h of settling. The surface characterisation showed a heterogenous surface and the presence of functional groups, which may have aided coagulation and caused the reduction in turbidity and microbial load. Statistical analysis revealed a P value <0.05, indicating that the results were highly consistent with no >5% variation. The study is also extended to explore the mechanism of coagulation of MO seeds, and the potential application of the research at a domestic scale is also discussed. Overall, the resulting water treated with MO met the WHO criteria.

First Record of Microplastic Contamination in the Non-Native Dark False Mussel Mytilopsis leucophaeata (Bivalvia: Dreissenidae) in a Coastal Urban Lagoon.

Microplastic contamination is a global concern due to its conspicuous presence in aquatic ecosystems and its toxic nature to environmental and human health. False mussels are among the most notable fresh- and brackish water invaders. The invasive Mytilopsis leucophaeata in Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon-RFL (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) is the most abundant macrofaunal invertebrate, widely established and distributed throughout the lagoon. This study aimed to assess microplastic contamination in this invasive filter feeder and evaluate its potential use as a bioindicator. Agglomerates (~100 mussels) were manually collected using a stainless-steel spatula in ten sampling areas distributed throughout the whole lagoon and kept frozen. In the laboratory, 60 individuals were sorted by area for soft-tissue digestion. Each pool of 10 soft-tissue mussels (n = 6 by area) was wet-weighted and then placed in a 150-mL decontaminated glass beaker with 50 mL of 10% KOH. Samples were heated (40 °C) for 48 h, and digested samples were filtered in glass-fiber membranes. Microplastics were found in all samples of mussels (n = 60) from RFL; the particles were mostly lower than 100 µm with a mean concentration (±SD) of 35.96 ± 47.64 MPs g wet-weight-1. Microplastics were distinguished in seven shapes with different occurrences in samples (%): fiber (43.3%); fragment (34.3%); film (16.3%); sponge/foam (4.9%); pellet (0.57%), rope/filaments (0.17%); and undefined (0.4%). Thirteen colors of microplastics were found, but transparent (54.94%), black (10.77%), and white (9.36%) were the most common. Mytilopsis leucophaeata were useful to assess microplastic contamination in RFL and might be preferentially used in other invaded brackish systems instead of native and often threatened bivalves. Our results confirm the effective application of bivalves as an indicator of coastal microplastic pollution.

Enhancing interfacial solar steam generation using hybrid (Co3O4/perovskite structured NaTaO3) nanomaterials coated on cotton cloth with sawdust composite evaporator

Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) is an emerging technology, used for the replenishment of water scarcity on the globe. In ISSG process, an interfacial evaporator is allowed to float on the bulk water surface to produce steam. Here, the different interfacial evaporators such as cotton cloth (CC), epoxy+hardener+sawdust (EHS) composite covered with cotton cloth (E-CC), EHS composite covered with Co3O4 coated cotton cloth (E-CC/Co3O4) and EHS composite covered with hybrid nanomaterial (Co3O4/ NaTaO3) coated cotton cloth (E-CC/hy1 and E-CC/hy2) are developed and experimented under 1 sun illumination. The synthesized NaTaO3 and Co3O4 photothermal materials are characterized using UV, XRD, FT-IR, FE-SEM, TEM and TGA respectively. Among all the evaporators, E-CC/hy2 attains an outstanding mass loss of water, evaporation rate and evaporation efficiency of 5.7 g, 4.92 kg m−2 h−1 and 117.78% respectively. In addition, the ion concentration of the condensed water is measured and found to be below WHO standards. Also, the dye degradation level of four different dyes is experimentally studied and found to be excellent dye degradation level for all the tested samples. The obtained results are mainly due to (i) the coating of Co3O4/ NaTaO3 composite over the top surface of the evaporator that traps the solar light efficiently (ii) the improved surface roughness that reduces the scattering and reflection of solar light (iii) the presence of excellent hydroxyl water absorbing groups in cotton cloth and better refilling of water at the evaporative surface of the evaporator (iv) low thermal conductivity of cotton cloth and EHS evaporator that inhibits the heat travel to the bulk water and glass beaker though conduction and convection.

Characteristics and antibacterial properties of carbon nanoparticles synthesized by the pulsed laser ablation method in various liquid media

The misuse of conventional antibiotics has led to an upsurge in antibiotic resistance among bacteria. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new and effective strategy to eradicate bacterial infections. Recent reports have shown the potential of nanoparticles to wield potent antibacterial properties. However, there remains a lack of research done in producing stable nanoparticles for antibacterial applications. Moreover, studies on the effect of various liquid environments in the synthesis of such particles is still limited. Therefore, this study explores carbon nanoparticles synthesized in various liquid media via the pulsed laser ablation method utilitizing an Nd:YAG laser. The laser was focused onto the surface of the graphite plate that is submerged at the bottom of a glass beaker containing different liquid media. Interestingly, the choice of liquid media significantly affected both the physical and antibacterial properties of the produced carbon nanoparticles; nanoparticles synthesized in chitosan solution exhibited greater colloidal stability compared to their counterparts and had a diameter around 38.5 nm, while the ones produced in ethylenediamine were the smallest in size, with a diameter around 29.4 nm. Further examinations revealed that this method yielded high-purity carbon nanoparticles. Antibacterial assessments conducted via the disk diffusion method against E. coli bacteria have also shown that the usage of ethylenediamine during the synthesis procedure greatly improved its antibacterial property. This further confirms the fact that the smaller the nanoparticle is in size, the greater its ability in inhibiting bacterial growth.